The Real, Ideal and False Me: Online. How Authentic Self-Expression on Social Media Platforms Relates to Personality, self-concept presentation and self-disclosure behaviours

Abstract

This mixed methods study aimed to explore the concept of authentic self-expression on social media platforms and its relationship to personality, self-concept variables and self-disclosure behaviours. Using a mixed methods approach, the study involved a quantitative survey of 489 participants, followed by a qualitative questionnaire with a sample of 39 participants. The results showed that authentic self-expression on social media is related to demographic variables such as age and gender, and personality traits such as extraversion and neuroticism. The expression of various facets of self-concept on social media platforms, including the real self, ideal self and false self, also appear to be related to personality variables, and specific self-disclosure behaviours such as the positivity, authenticity, depth and breadth of content shared.

Participants who engaged in authentic self-expression on social media presented a congruent representation of their offline self, online, including physical attributes, personality, emotions, thoughts, life experiences, and personal values. Although most participants considered authentic self-expression important and valuable, their self-disclosure behaviours often contradicted their definition of authenticity. Specifically, participants tended to post more positive and superficial content when expressing themselves online, despite believing that authenticity involves sharing both positively and negatively valanced content and revealing intimacy and vulnerability. These findings suggest that while authentic self-expression is highly valued and has benefits, there is still a need to clarify its definition and its relationship to self-concept variables and self-disclosure behaviours on social media platforms.